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Ti Kathuan
People The Cervidh The Cervidh are a highly spiritual people who appear almost Human (or more accurately, almost Fae). Their eternally youthful faces are framed by wild locks of hair ranging anywhere between deep browns to reds to deep greens. Pointed ears poke from beneath the hair, sometimes pierced with pieces of metal or bone. Above the ears a Cervidh's antlers (or rarely, horns) can be found. Generally these antlers are mostly brown or bone coloured and match their small deer-like hooves. Below the waist a Cervidh resembles the hind legs of a deer with short fur ranging anywhere between deep brown to light grey to orange-brown. From the waist up the differences between a Cervidh and Human are more difficult to notice. The Cervidh have small claws rather than nails which are used for digging for roots or in defense. They also possess larger canine teeth than a Human though the Cervidh are herbivorous. The Cervidh are well suited to cooler climates despite naturally lacking in body hair on their torso. A popular story for how the Cervidh lost much of their body hair is that during the devestation of a few hundred years ago hair from their chest, back and upper arms fell out and never regrew, though this explanation does not explain how later generations lack this hair. The only body hair to be found on their upper body aside from the hair on their heads is a long strip of hair growing from wrist to elbow. Often, a Cervidh will cover the hairless sections of their bodies with tattoos or body paint. Popular tattoos include vine-like designs, flowers, star constellations and religious symbols. These tattoos are clearly visible for a good portion of the year as the Cervidh rarely wear clothes during the warmer months. As some sapient beings seem to act funny around someone not wearing cloth on their lower half, a Cervidh will wear light long skirts or loose trousers in such company. During the winter, slightly heavier versions of these garments are popular coupled with fur-trimmed cloaks and a simple loose tunic. Older members of the Cervidh will wear belts with special ornate cloth hanging from the back to around knee length. Tales, music and dance are very important in Cervidh culture. It is nigh impossible to find a Cervidh who would refuse to participate in song, dance or story-telling. Music is played on a wide variety of instruments which the Tribe has accumulated knowledge of over time. Some of the more notable examples of instruments the Cervidh have played for centuries include the Nai Pipes named after the Goddess who enchanted any who listened with her music; a relatively large hollowed out branch called a Didgeridoo which the Cervidh did not develop but received from allies long ago now thought to be lost and a relatively recent invention called a Hurdy Gurdy after the people who helped the Cervidh create them. Instruments made of wood are relatively rare and valued among the Cervidh as the Kathuan Tribe refuse to steal from nature. As such, any wood which is used is wood that has been found. Occassionally, the Cervidh will Sing (see Sung Blossoms) to the trees asking for branches they could use which the tree could spare. It is unknown whether this has any effect at all, however, and some foreigners scoff at the idea of singing to a tree for wood. Unfortunately however, if singing to trees have any effect at all this effect is more or less negligible as the Kathuan Tribe are only able to gather a very small amount of wood each orbit. As such, wood is valued and used very sparingly. Rather than living in caravans (as some travelling folk the Kathuan Tribe have encountered before), the Kathuan Tribe sleep under the stars and have very little in the way of belongings. Occassionally, they will tie a blanket of cloth with ropes attached at either end between two trees to sleep on. When weather is rough and there is no shelter nearby, the Kathuan Tribe will erect large tents and gather beneath them with their animal companions. Such weather rarely catches the Cervidh offguard however, as they are very in tune with nature and can usually pick an optimal shelter for the weather to come. Above all, the Cervidh are a nature loving people. Most who choose to join them do as well and the rest usually either comes to love nature as much as the Cervidh or leave the Kathuan Tribes permenantly. Resources Talismans Though some materials such as various wood or rocks are believed to hold power, the Kathuan Tribe strongly believe one can make more out of them just as Humans do not often eat eggs as they are but often bake them into cakes. Even rather mundane items can be combined to contribute to a greater goal. Made from whatever can be found using secret rites and techniques while giving due respect to the spirits of the land from which the materials were found (but never stolen), the Talismans the Kathuan Tribe craft are as varied as the materials which make them. Talismans are crafted for luck, fortune, happiness, health and more. There are almost always an abundance of Talismans for trade and the Kathuan Tribe are more than happy to offer them for trade. Kathuan Wisps Not much is known about these small globes of floating light outside myth and legend. Among the most popular tales one explanation is that they are fragments of Old Spirits, another that they are fragments torn from the world itself as a result of the devestation of a few hundred years ago. However they came to be and whatever they seem to be, the Kathuan Tribe does not lack for the Kathuan Wisps. They seem to be drawn to wise beings, following them around most everywhere and waiting outside buildings, tents or caravans which they will almost always refuse to enter. Most of the Kathuan Tribe have six or more Kathuan Wisps follow them as for some reason they seem particularly drawn to the people and the people seem to have a few secrets for how to care for these wisps. Unfortunately however, in recent times the Kathuan Wisps have become so numerous they have started to interfere with daily life of the Kathuan Tribe. As such, selections of wisps and a handful of secrets in how to keep them are currently for trade though some of the Cervidh in particular seem rather attached to the Kathuan Wisps. Sung Blossoms Perhaps one of the first things of note when seeing the Kathuan Tribe for the first time is the abundance of plant life they carry with them. At almost any time of the year their camp will be abundant in blossoms both those local and not. Whether a plant flowers or not, the people of the Kathuan Tribe will analyze its properties and if useful will carefully place it in a pot to take with them. Once a week, the people will gather in large circles around plants due to flower and sing and dance to encourage the blossoms to grow. It is unknown whether this has any noticeable effect on the plants or if the plants simply yield quality blossoms due to the care the people give them. Nonetheless, the Kathuan Tribe take great care in harvesting and storing useful plant matter for use later while also ensuring the plants produce seeds for the next generation of plants to grow. For some reason or other, the Kathuan Tribe have an abundance of so-called 'Sung Blossoms' which have a large number of uses including for drinks or poultices aside from their natural beauty. As such, they offer a modest amount of dried and pressed Sung Blossoms or ready-made Sung Blossom drinks for trade. Import Desire - Fruit Though it is usually not difficult for the Kathuan Tribe to gather the food they require (primarily leaves, roots, grasses and nuts for the Cervidh), various fruits are a sweet and rare delicacy which often cannot be found throughout the year unless one happens to farm fruits. Though fruit are by no means necessary for survival, the Kathuan Tribe often trade for them when they get the chance. Category:Nomad Groups